So you got engaged at New Year? Congratulations!

One thing we'd really recommend you do soon is have some engagement photographs taken.

• You can use them as Save The Dates
• If it's a while before your actual wedding, then it's a way of telling the news and keeping everyone happy in the meantime!
• Your engagement is a very special time in your life together and you should have something to remember it by.

So here are some useful tips to help you with your engagement photography planning. Follow these and you won't go far wrong! 

Thinking about the location

Aside from picking the photographer, you will want to pick a location.  Do you have a location that has sentimental value to both you and your fiancé?  Maybe it's the place where you had your first date? Or somewhere scenic, like a beach or an open field? Is there a location you have always loved and thought would be great for photos?  If you don't have such a location, you can have your photographer pick some ideal spots that will work for your engagement photos.

The time of year is important 

After you get engaged, it is important to decide the time of year (prior to your wedding of course!) that you want to take your engagement photos.  If you are looking to have your photos taken on a beach, summer or spring may be a good time to have them done.  If it is an apple orchard or the changing colors of the trees strike you, maybe you should consider fall.  If you are looking for outdoor pictures in general, seasons like spring, fall and summer are perfect. But! winter makes for some awesome outdoor photos too!

Yes - you need to consider your color palette

What you wear on the day of your photo shoot should have similar color tones. We're not saying they should be identical (although, how cute would that be?!) but similar color palette is important.   It's important that your clothing choices works well with the location you have chosen. Often times, couples will pick two locations and two sets of clothing for their shoot.  One set more formal and one set more casual.

Looking your best

You will definitely want to get your hair and makeup done for the photo shoot. If you are on a budget,  you can can do it yourself, perhaps have a friend who is a good at hair and makeup help you.  But take your time, because you will want to look your best for your engagement photo shoot.

Image credits all by Wedding Chicks. Click to see full post clockwise from top:  Top centre snowy engagement, middle desert engagement, bottom right Palm Springs engagement , bottom left beachside romantic engagement. 

(Image credits: Top right Tino & Pip, bottom right Flowers Online)

Sweet peas are the most perfect, cottage garden, rustic country flower.

• They come in beautiful colors - from delicate pastels through to vibrant purples and pinks
• They smell absolutely wonderful
• They're delicate - but have tough stems which make them ideal for buttonholes and bouquets
• A sweet pea wedding bouquet is a timeless classic
• And sweet pea tones would be beautiful as a wedding day theme, as you can see above

Finding bridesmaid dresses in sweet pea colors is easy with Dessy. Take a look at colors like Tahiti, Honeysuckle and Persian Plum.

Mix up the shades for an ombre effect. Let each maid choose the best hue to suit them.

Image credits: Bridesmaid dress by Dessy in more than 50 colors

Then tie the look in by having a sweet pea bridal bouquet in a single pastel shade, and let your maids' bouquets be a riot of contrasting colors.

• Sweet peas also look wonderful on wedding tables. Put them in Mason jars for an unstructured look
• Offer sweet pea seeds as wedding favors
• Have a trellis of sweet peas climbing up behind you as you say your wedding vows
• Macaroons would be a perfect choice to serve your guests at a sweet pea themed wedding. Delicious with cups of English afternoon tea!

If you're planning a rustic style wedding then this is really an idea to think about. Have simple bunches of sweet peas as your table centers, make sure the bridegroom and his party have sweet pea buttonholes and of course think about the colors you could be using for your wedding stationery - the invitations, order of service sheets, table planner and name cards.

One of the best investments you can make when you first get engaged and you're planning your wedding is to buy a color wheel or color book. Really? Oh yes. Because it's a sure way to see which colors go together - and some shades that you may never have considered work perfectly together. 

For example, raspberry pink and lime green. The combo is fresh, original and definitely these are two shades to choose if you don't want to go down the pastel wedding route (but you're kind of fond of pink though).

Thinking about pink

Flowers that come in a raspberry shade? There's roses, hydrangeas, gerberas ... your florist is going to have a whole load of ideas. In addition, this is a theme that could save you money on flowers. Really? How? Well, greenery tends to come in less pricey than flowers, so you can focus on lime green leaves and have raspberry pops of colored blooms.

What about a green and pink cocktail for your guests when they arrive? We like the idea above of having a glass frosted with pink or green contrasting sugar. We're thinking maybe mohitos?

On your dessert table you could have raspberry and pistachio macarons, pink meringues ... and we're sure you'll have some ideas for your wedding cake. 

We love the way the table above has been decorated with green sashes and paper lanterns in pink, white and green overhead. It looks a million dollars but will have cost a whole lot less.

As for raspberry pink bridesmaid dresses, you'll find plenty of choice at Dessy - like the Dessy bridesmaid dresses shown above. Whether you want strapless, one shoulder, long sleeved, cocktail length, full length. Take a look at Dessy's raspberry pink bridesmaid dresses here. And if you'd like to move the theme a bit further, you could mix and match with lime green bridesmaid dresses and accessories for the bridegroom and his party. Look out for the Dessy colors of punch and Pantone turquoise to get the look.

Image credits top: Anne Edgar Photography.

Have you chosen your bridesmaids yet? Because when your girlfriends hear this news, you're going to be innundated with requests from would-be bridesmaids. 

You see, the big news is that red-carpet designer, Jenny Packham, who has dressed stylish women, from royalty through to A-lister movie stars, has created a bridesmaid collection and it's exclusive to Dessy. It's something all girls are going to want to be wearing. 

Lucky bridesmaids-to-be. 

So what brought about this exciting development?  We had a one-to-one chat with the designer about the development of this collaboration with Dessy. 

Why has Jenny Packham produced an exclusive bridesmaid collection?

Says the designer: " I have always aspired to create beautiful pieces for a special occasion but with bridal, the challenge is to create something really special – it’s got to have that extra magic that makes the bride fall in love with it. Designing bridalwear is one of my greatest pleasures: to extend the signature Jenny Packham style and aesthetic to create a beautiful, elegant bridesmaids’ collection, is extremely exciting."

What is the Jenny Packham signature style?

"It's very feminine and contemporary, with vintage inspired beading and understated embellishments." 

Where do you look for design inspiration?

Replies Jenny Packham: "I find inspiration everywhere I go, from a painting to a piece of jewellery to a luxury boutique. The Jenny Packham Bridesmaids collection was inspired by the English Country Garden – from the fluidity of the fabric to the soft colour palette. I’ve taken silhouettes that are popular from our ready to wear collection and flattering for all body shapes."

What is the most important thing to consider when shopping for bridesmaids’ gowns?

"I think it’s important to ensure the style of dress you choose for your bridesmaids, compliments your bridal look.

"It can be a daunting task to find one gown for many different shapes and sizes. When I’m designing, I’m always considerate of the way the cut, draping and beading will best enhance the woman who will wear the dress, making her feel confident and beautiful. I think having a tonal colour palette in a variety of styles is a contemporary approach for adult bridesmaids."

Who is your favourite celebrity bride?

"Elizabeth Taylor when she married Richard Burton - she wore canary yellow and her hair was styled in a long braid woven with white flowers."

Take a look at the Jenny Packham Bridesmaids range for Dessy here, available to buy now. 

Rose quartz could have been made for weddings.

The color comes from the rose quartz crystal, which is supposed to allow one the capacity to truly give and receive love from others.

Rose quartz has a very feminine energy and the crystals have been used as love tokens since around 600 B.C.

It all sounds absolutely perfect for a wedding day.

And as these images show you, rose quartz is also a very versatile wedding color.

It looks wonderful on a romantic chiffon wedding dress - or bridesmaid dress. There's something about this soft color that just lets a bride float along. 

Add pale pink roses to the mix to add to the romance. You can combine rose quartz with gold but it looks very striking with green too, as shown in the bride's bouquet here. (In fact, as you can tell, we really like the look of tying a bouquet with a strikingly long velvet ribbon that trails nearly to the ground.)

Ask your caterer to search out rose gold cutlery for your wedding tables. 

And of course, pink champagne is a must. 

Browse through what Dessy creates in rose quartz and you'll feel really inspired. Dress the bridegroom or groomsmen in rose quartz vests and ties. Gift your maids rose quartz chandelier earrings or a soft pashmina. 

This is a color that works beautifully in the depths of winter - the pink contrasts beautifully with snowy whiteness. 

In spring too you could have a wedding day of pink spring blossoms or a midsummer rose quartz celebration. 

Be inspired! 

Image credits: 

Top board clockwise from top left: Happy Wedd, Bridesmaid dress by Dessy, Grey likes weddings.

Second board clockwise from top left: Happy Wedd, Grey likes weddings, Grey likes weddings, Happy Wedd

Third board: Tuxedo, vest and cravat in Rose Quartz by Dessy, Dessy bridesmaid dress from real Dessy wedding on Facebook

Fourth board: Rose drop earrings by Dessy

While DIY (do-it-yourself) is definitely a way to cut costs in various aspects of your wedding, can you in fact do things yourself? Or are you creating more of a hassle than is necessary? Here are some thoughts before you decide to go DIY with your wedding.

Are you crafty or would you just like to be?

If you're really and truly artistic and creative, then go for it. But if art or sewing class was never really your thing then really consider whether you'd enjoy going down the DIY wedding route or whether in fact you'd just end up feeling really frustrated.  

There are a ton of videos out there that make it look easy to wedding DIY but watch them carefully before you make any big decisions.

For example, you might like the idea of making your own wedding bouquet but we think this is something you should spend money on. Apart from the fact that it will be a massive stress making a beautiful bouquet on the evening (or even the morning) of your wedding and keeping it fresh until the ceremony. 

You might like to read this - 5 things to DIY on your wedding day and 5 things to avoid

Do you have the time? Time flies by while planning a wedding, so before you decide to do any DIY projects for your wedding, make sure you in fact have the time to do it.

Do you have HELP? You could ask your bridesmaids to help you make centerpieces or DIY wedding favors but don't ask them to take on too much. Besides which, they may not be that arty themselves! Alternatively you could ask a crafty relation - maybe a grandmother who is an amazing quilter and scrapbooker. See if she has some ideas. 

Have you considered other alternatives? Maybe cutting costs at the wedding doesn't mean having to go DIY at all. Maybe it means cutting down the guest list, or not going overboard on alcohol or flowers. If you know you aren't the DIY type, don't give yourself any additional stress.

Trying to figure out a color scheme for your wedding? Have a look at our Pantone color guides which will show you which colors work together. 

We've talked to some recent brides about what they wish they'd known before their wedding day. 

Here's what one told us. 

"You can never be sure exactly everything is going to be exactly 100% as you want it. I was a real control freak and thought I had everything sorted. I'd Pantone colour co-ordinated my invitations, the bridesmaids sashes, my seating plan and wedding favors. Hey - even the flowers in my wedding bouquet matched up. 

And then my fiance got a black eye two days before the wedding when he fell off his mountain bike. Nope, I didn't see that coming either. Thankfully he didn't break any bones but the wedding photos were certainly interesting! "

Go with the flow

You see, there are always going to be some things that are out of your control and it's best not to stress about them. Better to take a deep breath and leave it to the Universe.

So what exactly are these things (black eyes apart)?

1. The Weather

You may have planned a destination on a hot and sunny beach. Or maybe you're having a rustic wedding. The thing is, the weather will always - but always - have a mind of its own.

If you're having a beach wedding somewhere exotic then it may be superhot that day. In which case, you need to have back-up sunshades at the ready for people to shelter underneath. And check the weather at your destination at the time of year you're marrying to make sure that it's not monsoon or hurricane season. Find out about air-conditioning. Because whilst getting married on the sand at midday might be romantic, you may all want to slope off into somewhere shady and cool for the afternoon (and then come out to dance under the stars in the evening).

2. Emotions

A wedding day is a perfect storm of emotion. Bear in mind the potential flashpoints. For example, if your parents have both remarried to other people then there could be an atmosphere. Have a word with them beforehand and tell them what you expect. Avoid run-ins by sitting certain couples separately.

Children can get overtired and scratchy - so have a chillout room for little ones where they can recharge their batteries, watch a movie quietly or nap.

And if a friend has recently broken up with a boyfriend and no longer has a plus one, put her on a table where she'll have fun.

3. Pregnant Bridesmaids

You probably selected your bridesmaids a while ago - and a lot can happen in the meantime. Including one of your bridesmaids announcing that her delivery date is very close to your wedding day. In which case, don't give her too much to do, just in case she doesn't make the wedding. Rope in another girl who's unlikely to be expecting a baby then who will be available to help you. (Also check out Dessy's maternity bridesmaid dresses.)

4. The Way You Look

This one might take you by surprise. After all, you've got your dress right, your hair right, your makeup - it's all decided. However the lead up to your wedding day can be stressful so if you're prone to breakouts and skin conditions exacerbated by stress (eczema and psoriasis for example) just bear in mind that you might end up with a blemish on your skin just when you least want it. To reduce the likelihood of this happening don't have a facial just before your wedding day and don't embark on a new skincare routine either. Stay as calm as possible - you might want to investigate meditation techniques to help you stay grounded.

5. No Shows

Some relatives - particularly those flying in from distant places - could have their travel plans interrupted by bad weather, strikes or even illness. Again, be prepared for this to happen and if somebody can't come last minute then don't make a big deal of it. There's nothing you can do about it. Instead, make sure that your wedding photographs are wonderful, that you get the event videoed so that you can share it with them afterwards.

The important thing to remember is that it's your wedding day and there are always going to be unforeseen hiccups that you can't do anything about. Take them in your stride and enjoy every moment, rather than focusing on what can't be changed and what can't be helped.

Image credits clockwise from top left: Wedding Chicks, Wedding Chicks, Wedding Chicks, Dessy

Arriving

It's a tradition that the bride never arrives bang on time at the ceremony - just a few minutes late.

Bridal Registry 

Nowadays many couples live together before they get married, so they may have much of what they need already. However, guests still love to give the bride and groom something for their home, so maybe it's time to upgrade your bedlinen, your cutlery or china? Some couples ask for money towards their honeymoon. 

Whatever you decide, it's a good idea to have a list of gifts you'd love to receive. 

Children

Think about whether you want children at your wedding. If you're having an evening do then it's not really appropriate and in any case, the parents may be glad of an evening off!

Look at these images and you'll see that blush and earth tones work together just beautifully.

Sometimes a color combination for your wedding may just spring out and surprise you. These shades work as the pink has very soft earth tones - it's a classic. Not overpowering - just a gentle, elegant hue. 

Work out which of your maids will suit each color - our fabric swatches or Pantone color tools would help you here. And then mix and match your bridesmaid dress styles too - there's nothing to say you have to dress your maids all in the same style. Mix it up a bit for some extra sophistication.

(If you're looking for these colors, try Blush from Dessy and Topaz to get the look.)

If you like blush pink but don't particularly want an all-pink wedding, this is the way to use the shade but downplay it a little. And of course this color combo will work all the way through your wedding plans if you want it to.

Using Your Color Theme For Stationery, Flowers, Decorations ...

Use blush and beige for your wedding stationery - Maybe have topaz shaded envelopes containing a pink invitation? Or mix and match the colors on the typography.

When it comes to your bouquets you'll be spoilt for choice. Classic wedding roses come in this color pink and you should find some tinged with a topaz shade. Discuss with your florist to see what's in season when you're getting married and show him or her the colors you're thinking about so they can be matched.

And What About Decorating Your Wedding Reception?

To give your theme the wow factor, think about dressing your venue in these shades - with chair sashes, chair covers and tablecloths. If you find the room a little lacking in character (but the venue is in the perfect place) you might like to consider room draping, which basically transforms a lacklustre space into something special. 

Let's not forget favors either. The classic wedding favor is sugared almonds (which were traditionally thought to signify wealth, health, longevity, happiness and fertility) and you're sure to find some in pinks and beige.

But if you want to get a little creative with your wedding favors then you could give packets of seeds for pink and beige flowers ...

Get your colors right and you'll probably find that the rest of your wedding theme flows seamlessly.

Image credits: 

Main image, clockwise from top:  Wedding Chicks, bridesmaid dresses by Dessy in Blush and Topaz, place setting by Jan Garcia Photography, real wedding via Dessy Facebook page 

Feeling the sand between your toes as you walk down the aisle in your flowing white gown while the warm sun falls on you, your guests and that amazing blue water. The perfect destination beach wedding is a dream for many brides and grooms to be. And for good reason - what better way to bring out a great celebration than with a day at the beach?

Whether you're planning to bring all your loved ones to a private spot in the Caribbean or to your local lake with beachfront property, there are some special arrangements to keep in mind to ensure your day keeps up with that of your dreams.

Here are the 21 things you need to know about beach wedding days 

1. When you're choosing your location, keep in mind your priority guests and how easily they will be able to there. Make it as affordable as possible to those you really want to be in attendance on your big day.
2. Keep in mind the time of sunset and sunrise where you're getting married. This will help you plan your photographs. 
3. As for marriage licences, different states and countries will have different laws. Make sure you know what they are and that you have the necessary documents before you make any decisions.
4. Send out your save the dates well in advance - at least six months beforehand. That way your guests will be able to plan their flights, book time off and budget accordingly. 
5. When you're thinking of decor, keep it simple - you've got a beautiful natural backdrop after all. Try rose petals on the sand for the aisle, bright local flowers on chairs and lighting for an evening ceremony. Tiki torches or strings of small white lights work well. 
6. Consider the weather. Beaches can be windy! Have shawls for your guests for cooler breezes.
7. Make sure you know what the tide is doing! 
8. If you're having your ceremony at a hotel beach ask about their sound system and whether you can borrow it. (If not, you may have to rent one).
9. Make sure there are rest rooms nearby for your guests.
10. If you are taking your wedding reception off the beach, keep the theme going with your decor - candles in sand, sea shells, baskets of flip flops for guests with tired feet ...
11. Remember that not every tropical beach has the same climate. If you're getting married in the Far East - maybe Thailand - it's going to be hot and humid. If you're off to the Caribbean then it could be warm and windy. 
12. When you marry somewhere hot, you need to think of the structure of your wedding gown and those of your bridesmaids. Nothing too fitted (ditch the traditional, full-sleeved lace gown). Goddess style gowns and one- shoulder bridesmaid designs work well. Floaty chiffon, spaghetti straps and strapless are also worth investigating.
13. Search out fabrics that travel happily and won't need endless pressing on arrival.
14. Colour is also a consideration. Pastels look a bit washed out and insipid under bright sunshine so embrace whites and dazzling colours. This is the time to go for turquoises, yellows, oranges, emerald greens, hot pinks and rich purples. These shades look fantastic under a blue sky on a white sandy beach.
15. As for the men, a sunshiny beach isn't the place for a formal suit.  Linen or seersucker suits are very cool (literally in this case) and will look much more in place at a sandy ceremony. Most men find a pale linen suit an extremely useful garment to have in their wardrobe and he's likely to want to wear it on your honeymoon too, whenever you want to dress smartly for dinner.
16. It goes without saying that you need to have the pedicure to end all pedicures if you're going to go barefoot on the beach.
17. Ditch the heels, you don't want to be wobbling down a sandy aisle. If you must, wear pretty flat sparkly sandals (crystals look fantastic at a tropical wedding) or flip flops. 
18. At a beach wedding you're better off with a birdcage veil or a sparkly headpiece. Because if it's hot and steamy you're going to get hotter and redfaced under a veil and if it's windy, it's going to be whipped around your face, possibly spoiling your hair and make-up. 
19. It's worth sending a note to your wedding guests about the beach temperatures they might experience so they can plan their outfits too - maybe put a dress code on your invitations.
20. Wear sunblock and have a basket of it available for guests.
21. Don't wear too much makeup in the heat. Keep it fresh and natural - best to consult a beauty specialist about the right look and products that will work for you. 
    
    
    

Image credits clockwise from top. The Knot, The Knot, The Knot, Weddinggomania

Bottom image: The Knot